Method and apparatus for biometric identification of a user in a broadcast communication receiver

ABSTRACT

In a method for identifying a user in a network of broadcast communication receivers, a physical characteristic of a user is analyzed in association with the user accessing a first of the receivers. First biometric information based on the characteristic as analyzed in association with the user accessing the first receiver is generated. Data associated with use of the first receiver by the user is also generated and associated with the first biometric information. The physical characteristic of the user is then analyzed in association with the user accessing a second receiver. Second biometric information based on the physical characteristic as analyzed in association with the user accessing the second receiver is generated. The first and second biometric information are then compared. If the first and second biometric information indicate the physical characteristic of the same user, the data is employed in conjunction with the user accessing the second receiver.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/113,267, filed Aug. 27, 2018, and entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FORBIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION OF A USER IN A BROADCAST COMMUNICATIONRECEIVED,” which application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.No. 15/594,307, filed May 12, 2017, granted as U.S. Pat. No. 10,063,900on Aug. 28, 2018, and entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BIOMETRICIDENTIFICATION OF A USER IN A BROADCAST COMMUNICATION RECEIVER,” whichis a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/167,439, filed Jul. 3,2008, granted as U.S. Pat. No. 9,654,719 on May 16, 2017, and entitled“METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION OF A USER IN ABROADCAST COMMUNICATION RECEIVER,” the contents of each of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Broadcast communication receivers, such as satellite and cabletelevision set-top boxes, or “STBs”, often provide features to help theuser customize the set-top box in accordance with the user's viewing orlistening preferences. For example, some set-top boxes allow a user todesignate a number of specific programs or channels as personalfavorites to simplify access by the user to the broadcast channels andprograms of particular interest from among the extensive amount ofprogramming options typically available on the set-top box. Further, inset-top boxes that provide a digital video recorder (DVR) capability,this same type of information may be employed to allow the user toquickly configure the set-top box to record the user's favoriteprograms.

Given that several different users, such as a number of family membersliving in the same household, may all use the same set-top box, somemanufacturers have further enhanced their set-top boxes by allowing thecreation of separate channel or programming favorites lists andrecording parameters for each user. Typically, each such list may beidentified with a label, such as a user's name, although most such listsare accessible by all users of the set-top box.

Many set-top boxes also provide a parental control or security functionwhich allows a user to define an alphanumeric password to block selectedchannels and/or programs from those users not privy to the password.Thus, these particular boxes provide parents the capability to preventsome young family members from viewing programs that are inappropriatefor their age.

In some cases, multiple set-top boxes may be employed in a singlehousehold, as some subscribers may enjoy the use of several televisionsin different rooms throughout the home. In that case, each set-top boxmay possibly be used by several users within the house, thus possiblyimplicating the need for a copy of each user's favorites list, recordingschedule, and the like in each separate set-top box within thehousehold.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of theinvention for identifying a user in a network of broadcast communicationreceivers.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a broadcast communication network accordingto an embodiment of the invention that incorporates multiple broadcastcommunication receivers.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example of a broadcast communicationreceiver of the broadcast communication network of FIG. 2 according toan embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of theinvention for identifying a user in a network of broadcast communicationreceivers, as executed by the control logic depicted in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 provides a flow diagram of a method 100 for identifying a user ina network of broadcast communication receivers. Each of the broadcastcommunication receivers may be a satellite television receiver orset-top box (such as a set-top box employed in a direct broadcastsatellite (DBS) system), a cable television receiver, a satellite radioreceiver, or other receiver configured to receive broadcastcommunications, either via wireline or wireless communicationtechnologies. The user may be, for example, a single individual, or anumber of individuals identifiable as a single group.

In the method 100, a physical characteristic of a user accessing a firstone of the broadcast communication receivers is analyzed (operation102). In one implementation, the physical characteristic may be anyphysical characteristic that may be exploited to distinguish one userfrom another. Examples of the physical characteristic include, but arenot limited to, a fingerprint, an iris or retina of an eye, a facialappearance, a voice of a user, and a bodily substance of the user. Suchbodily substances may include, but are not limited to, perspiration,blood, and a scent of the user.

First biometric information based on the physical characteristicanalyzed in association with the user accessing the first broadcastcommunication receiver is then generated (operation 104). Also generatedare data associated with the use of the first one of the broadcastcommunication receivers by the user (operation 106). This user-specificdata may be associated with a number of functions or capabilitiesprovided by the broadcast communication receiver. In one implementation,the data may be a list of a user's favorite programs or programmingchannels, a list of programs to record on a DVR incorporated within thereceiver, or the like. In another embodiment, the data may enable asecurity mechanism regarding access to other data within the receiver,to programs or channels accessed via the receiver, or to the receiveritself. Alternatively, the data may be information associated withproduct or service purchases the user makes via the receiver. In otherexamples, the user-specific data may include data associated with anaccount the user maintains with a service provider that suppliesinformational content to the user by way of the broadcast communicationreceiver. Other examples of user-specific data not specificallydescribed herein may be employed in other embodiments. This data is thenassociated with the first biometric information (operation 108).

Thereafter, in association with the user accessing a second broadcastcommunication receiver of the network, the same physical characteristicof the user may be analyzed (operation 110), and second biometricinformation based on this analysis is generated (operation 112). Thesecond biometric information is then compared to the first biometricinformation (operation 114). If the first and second biometricinformation both indicate the physical characteristic of the same user,the user-specific data is employed in conjunction with the useraccessing the second broadcast communication receiver (operation 116).

While the operational steps are described above and displayed in FIG. 1in a specific order, other orders of execution, including concurrentexecution of two or more of the operations, may be possible whileremaining within the scope of the invention as disclosed herein.

The simplified block diagram of FIG. 2 depicts a broadcast communicationnetwork 200 according to another embodiment. The broadcast communicationnetwork 200 includes a first broadcast communication receiver 204 and asecond broadcast communication receiver 206. In FIG. 2, the receiversare located within a subscriber premises 202, although other ways ofassociating the receivers 204, 206 with each other, eithergeographically or logically, may be identified. For example, receiverslocated in separate buildings may be associated with a single subscriberaccount, and thus be included in the same broadcast communicationnetwork 200 discussed in greater detail below.

In the specific example of FIG. 2, the receivers 204, 206 are satellitebroadcast set-top boxes. Providing programming and other informationalcontent to the receivers 204, 206 is an uplink facility 208 configuredto deliver the programming and other information to a satellite 210containing a number of transponders for retransmitting the receivedinformation to the receivers 204, 206 of FIG. 2, as well as otherreceivers not shown therein. The informational content may be encoded,modulated, and processed in other ways not discussed herein for the sakeof brevity.

In turn, the receivers 204, 206 receive the informational content, andperform any demodulation, decoding, and other processing required torecover the informational content. Each of the receivers 204, 206 maythen provide the content to an output device 205, 207, such as atelevision, video monitor, entertainment system, or other deviceconfigured to provide the content to a user. In some implementations,each of the output devices 204, 206 may be integrated within itscorresponding receiver 204, 206, or vice-versa.

To form a network, the first receiver 204 and the second receiver 206may be communicatively coupled together. In one embodiment, thereceivers 204, 206 may communicate over a HomePlug® interface. However,other interfaces, including both wired and wireless interfaces, such asEthernet, Wi-Fi, and the like, which are capable of carrying informationbetween the first receiver 204 and the second receiver 206 may beutilized in other implementations. Also, while FIG. 2 indicates that thereceivers 204, 206 may be directly coupled to each other, one or moredevices adapted to facilitate communication between the receivers 204,206, such as transceivers, routers, and so forth, may be utilized inother implementations.

In addition to, or in lieu of, the receivers 204, 206 being coupled toeach other, a service provider server 212 supplied by the serviceprovider transferring the informational content to the receivers 204,206 may be communicatively coupled with each of the receivers 204, 206.The server 212 may provide any of a number of services to the receivers204, 206, such as receive and process requests for pay-per-view (PPV)movies and other special events, provide access to informationassociated with a user account held by the service provider, and otherservices. In one implementation, the server 212 may facilitatecommunication between the first receiver 204 and the second receiver206. Depending on the particular implementation, the server 212 may becoupled with each of the receivers 204, 206 by way of a telephoneconnection, an Internet connection, or other communication path.

FIG. 3 provides a simplified diagram of a possible implementation ofeach of the receivers 204, 206 of FIG. 2. The receivers 204, 206includes a first interface 302 for coupling the receiver 204, 206 withat least one of another receiver 204, 206 and/or a service providerserver 212, as shown in FIG. 2. Also included is control logic 306coupled with the first interface 302 and configured to perform thevarious tasks described in greater detail below. Other components, suchas circuitry for receiving the programming signals from the satellite210, for performing any demodulation, decoding, and other processing ofthe signals, and for transmitting the signals to the output device 205,207, are not shown in FIG. 3 to simplify and facilitate discussion ofidentifying users within the receiver 204, 206.

In one example, the control logic of the receiver 204, 206 may be aprocessor, such as a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signalprocessor (DSP), or the like, with data storage including softwareinstructions executable by the processor for performing the varioustasks describe hereinafter. Such a processor may be combined withelectronic circuitry to aid in the performance of these tasks. Inanother example, a hardware logic circuit, such as anapplication-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), may perform theoperations discussed herein without the aid of a processor.

Generally, the control logic 304 of the receiver 204, 206 performs theoperations of a method 400 as shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 4. Whileeither receiver 204, 206 of FIGS. 2 and 3 may perform the followingoperations, the method 400 is discussed in relation to the secondreceiver 206. More specifically, the control logic 304 of the secondreceiver 206 receives via its first interface 302 first biometricinformation associated with data specifically related to a particularuser (operation 402). In one embodiment, the first interface 302receives the first biometric information from the first broadcastcommunication receiver 204, and forwards the information to the controllogic 304. This information may be received over a HomePlug® connection,Wifi, Ethernet, USB, or other communication interface coupling the tworeceivers 204, 206 together. In one implementation, the first receiver204 is configured to generate and/or store the first biometricinformation, which may be produced by way of an initial analysis of aphysical characteristic or attribute of a user accessing the firstreceiver 204 prior to accessing the second receiver 206. Thus,generation of the first biometric information may be initiated with afirst use of the first receiver 204 or any receiver of the network 200by the user. Either or both of the first receiver 204 and the secondreceiver 206 may then compare the first biometric information againstsubsequent biometric information generated by way of analysis of thesame physical characteristic. The generation of the biometricinformation is discussed in greater detail below.

In another example, the first interface 302 may receive the firstbiometric information from the service provider server 212 of FIG. 2,such as by way of a telephone or Internet connection. Further, the firstbiometric information may have been originally generated by the server212, by the first receiver 204 (as described above), or by the secondreceiver 206 now receiving the first biometric information.

The control logic 304 of the second receiver 206 also receives secondbiometric information associated with a user accessing the secondreceiver 206 (operation 404 of FIG. 4). In one example, the secondreceiver 206 includes a biometric sensor 306 configured to analyze thephysical characteristic or attribute of the user accessing the secondreceiver 206. For example, prior to using the second receiver 206 toview a program or other informational content, the user may allow thebiometric sensor 306 to capture the physical characteristic, such as afingerprint. In that case, the biometric sensor 306 may be a fingerprintscanner. As a result, the first and second biometric information may bea substantial image of the “ridges” and “valleys” of the fingerprint. Inanother fingerprint implementation, the fingerprint may be analyzed todiscover its distinctive features, such as locations at which ridgesend, or at which multiple ridges merge, a representation of which maythen be stored as the biometric information. Depending on the particularphysical characteristic to be analyzed, the biometric sensor may be aniris scanner, a retinal scanner, an optical imager, an audio analyzerfor characterizing the voice of a user, or any other device capable ofanalyzing a distinguishing physical characteristic of the user.

Instead of locating a biometric sensor 306 within the second receiver206, a separate biometric sensor 310 may be coupled with a secondinterface 308 of the second receiver 206. In this scenario, the secondinterface 308 may be a USB interface or some other wired or wirelessinterface, thus allowing a separate off-the-shelf biometric sensor 306to be purchased or supplied separately from the second receiver 206,thus allowing a user to communicatively couple the sensor 306 with thesecond interface 308. The control logic 304 of the second receiver 206may then receive information regarding the analysis from the sensor 306,and may use that information to generate the second biometricinformation. In another embodiment, the sensor 306 generates the secondbiometric information based on its analysis of the physicalcharacteristic of the user, and then transfers the second biometricinformation to the control logic 304.

In yet another example, the second interface 308 may serve as a remotecontrol interface communicatively coupled with a remote control device312 incorporating a biometric sensor 314. In one implementation, thebiometric sensor 314 is located so that the user may grasp the remotecontrol 312 and immediately cause the sensor 314 to analyze a physicalcharacteristic of the user, such as a fingerprint or iris, and thentransfer either information representing its analysis of the physicalcharacteristic, or generate and transfer the second biometricinformation based on that analysis, to the control logic 304 by way ofthe second interface 308. For example, the biometric sensor 314 may beincorporated on the bottom surface of the remote control device 312 in aposition in which a user may easily contact the sensor 314 with afinger. Also, the surface of the remote control 312 may be shaped sothat the user may easily register a finger in contact with the sensor314 without looking directly at the bottom of the remote control 312. Inanother implementation, the sensor 314 may be placed along the topsurface of the remote control 312 to facilitate a scan of the thumb ofthe user.

While each of these configurations regarding the biometric sensors 306,310, 314 has been discussed within the context of the second receiver206, similar configurations involving the first receiver 204 arepossible. As a result, the first receiver 204 may employ any of thebiometric sensors 306, 310, 314 to generate the first biometricinformation later received at the second receiver 206 (operation 402 ofFIG. 4) from either the first receiver 204 or the server 212, asmentioned above. For example, a user may indicate to the first receiver204 that they are a new user to the receiver 204. In response, the firstreceiver 204 may cause one of the biometric sensors 306, 310, 314 toanalyze a user physical characteristic, such as a fingerprint, togenerate the first biometric information, either within the sensor 306,310, 314 or the control logic 304 of the first receiver 204.

Regardless of the source of the first biometric information, the firstbiometric information would then be used as a reference against whichthe control logic 304 compares the second biometric information as aresult of the user accessing the second receiver 206 (operation 406 ofFIG. 4). The nature and complexity of the comparison may be determinedby the amount of analysis data representing the physical characteristic.As any two separate analyses of the physical characteristic may notmatch exactly, the first and second biometric information also may notbe identical. As a result, the comparison of the first and secondbiometric information may be compared to a similarity or confidencethreshold indicating a level at which the second biometric informationis considered to represent the physical characteristic of the same useras that denoted by the first biometric information.

If the result of the comparison of the first and second biometricinformation surpasses the confidence threshold, then the control logic304 of the second receiver 206 presumes that the users associated withboth the first and second biometric information are one and the same,and receives and employs the user-specific data associated with thefirst biometric information in conjunction with the user accessing thesecond receiver 206 (operation 408). (The nature of the user-specificdata, and how it is employed, is discussed further below.) Otherwise, ifthe result of the comparison falls below the confidence threshold, thecontrol logic 304 presumes the user associated with the second biometricinformation is different from the user related to the first biometricinformation, and thus does not employ the user-specific information inconnection with the new user accessing the second receiver 206.

In the case that several versions of first biometric information, onefor each separate user of a receiver 204, 206 of the broadcastcommunication network 200, have been generated and stored within thenetwork 200, then the second biometric information associated with auser accessing the second receiver 206 may be compared against all ofthese versions of the first biometric information. In such anenvironment, if the second biometric information matches one of theversions of the first biometric information, the user-specific dataassociated with the matching first biometric information is employed inconjunction with the current user accessing the second receiver 206.Otherwise, if the second biometric information does not match any of thesets of first biometric information, none of the user-specific dataassociated therewith is employed as a result of the current user'saccess of the second receiver 206.

In another embodiment, a group of users, each of which is associatedwith its own set of first biometric information, may be associated witha single set of user-specific data. In other words, access to thenetwork 200 by any of the users within the group invokes the use of thesame user-specific data. To this end, second biometric informationassociated with a recent user accessing the second receiver 206 iscompared to each of the sets of first biometric information associatedwith the group, and if a match results, the single set of data isemployed in conjunction with the current user using the second receiver206. Otherwise, the single set of user-specific data is not involvedwith the recent user accessing the second receiver 206.

Given the above procedures, identification of a user, along with data inthe network 200 specifically related to the user, is facilitated by wayof a simple action of the user of allowing the network 200 to verify theidentity of the user by way of a physical characteristic. Thus, the useof passwords or labels input by a user for identification purposes maybe eliminated, thus easing the burden on the user to utilize dataspecifically associated with his or her use of the network 200 and thereceivers 204, 206 located therein.

The user-specific data described above may represent many differenttypes of information, thus causing that data to be employed in thecommunication network 200 in a variety of ways. A few examples of thetypes of data and related functionality possible are described below.However, the scope of the invention is not limited to these specificexamples, but instead encompasses any type of data that may be relatedto a specific user and the user's interaction with the network 200.

In one example, the user-specific data may provide a mechanism wherebyonly authorized users may access one of the receivers 204, 206, or anyother portion of the network 200. More specifically, the mere presenceof user-specific data may indicate that the user associated with thesecond biometric information, by way of its match with the firstbiometric information previously generated as a result of an initial useof the first receiver 204 by the user, is authorized to viewinformational content and perform other functions using the secondreceiver 206. In another embodiment, the user-specific data may includedata specifically indicating that a user whose second biometricinformation matches the first biometric information is authorized to usethe second receiver 200.

Further regarding security, the user-specific data for a user mayfurther grant a specified level of access, or specifically indicatewhich functions or services of the second receiver 206 the associateduser may or may not access. Such functions may include the ability topurchase products and/or services by way of the second receiver 206 andthe server 212. The products and services may be provided by the serviceprovider (in the case of pay-per-view movies and special event programs)or a third party operating through the service provider (such asproducts purchased from a home shopping network). In the event that theuser is authorized to purchase products or services through the secondreceiver 206, the user-specific data may also track which specificpurchases have been made, along with any information associated withthose purchases. Such information may include billing information, suchas credit card information, billing and shipping addresses, and thelike, to facilitate the purchases.

In one variation, the access to the second receiver 206 by a user may becontrolled by a second user associated with a separate set ofuser-specific data. As a result, the data associated with the seconduser may indicate the users whose access to the second receiver 206 thesecond user may control. The user-specific data for the second user mayinclude the various channels or programs, or an authorized level ofaccess, which the second user has granted to each of the other users inthe system 200.

In another embodiment, the user-specific data is utilized within thenetwork 200 to control access to informational content provided by acontent provider over the network 200 to the receivers 204, 206. Thiscontrol may be asserted in various ways. For example, the user-specificdata may enable the associated user to access one or more specificprograms or other portions of the informational content. In oneinstance, the user-specific data embodies a decryption key capable ofdecrypting or descrambling content. Thus, by way of a positive matchbetween the first biometric information and the second biometricinformation, the decryption key within the data related to the userassociated with the first and second biometric information may be madeavailable for decrypting programs which the user is authorized to view.Oppositely, users which do not have such a key included in, orassociated with, its user-specific data, are not authorized to view theprotected program. The authorization to view the content, as well as anydecryption key required, may be granted or supplied by an owner orlicensee of the program by way of an agreement between the user and theauthorizer. In one example, at least a portion of the first biometricinformation or the second biometric information may be included withinthe decryption key. In another implementation, at least some portion ofthe first or second biometric information may be utilized to generatethe decryption key.

In another application, the user-specific data denotes specificprogramming or other content viewed or consumed by the user associatedwith the data. Such data may be employed, for example, in a televisionratings system, such as that provided by Nielsen Media Research. Thesecond receiver 206 may collect and transfer this data periodically overthe first interface 312 to the service provider server 212 or anotherserver not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The data may identify specificprograms viewed, the channel viewed, the starting and ending times forwhich the program or channel was viewed, and related information. Suchdata may further extend to those channels or programs that were recordedby way of a DVR function of the second receiver 206. As this data isassociated with a specific user or group of users, as is the case withother versions of the user-specific data discussed above, the data mayfacilitate the tracking of viewing habits to individual users and theircorresponding demographic groups.

In addition, the user-specific information may explicitly includedemographic information associated with the user, such as age, sex,ethnicity, indications regarding relative interest in different genresof programming content, and the like. Many other types of demographicinformation may also reside within the user-specific information.

As the user-specific data may link the user with a particulardemographic group, or may associate viewing habits or othercharacteristics with the user, the satellite 210, the service providerserver 212, or another device associated with the service provider notshown in FIGS. 2 and 3, may employ the user-specific information topresent to the user programming content, channels, advertising, or othercontent selected by the service provider. The selected content,presented to the user by way of the first receiver 204 or the secondreceiver 206, may be based on the user's demographic group, viewinghabits, or other user-specific data.

In yet another example, the user-specific data may include a list offavorite programs or channels, or one or more program recordingschedules, as determined by the user. More specifically, while a user isinteracting with one of the receivers 204, 206, the user may generate oralter a favorites list or revise a recording schedule associated withthe user's biometric information, as previously generated within thenetwork 200. When the user later returns to access one of the receivers204, 206, the favorites list and/or recording schedule of the user isagain accessible to the user once the corresponding receiver 204, 206has verified the identity of the user, as described above. In addition,the receiver 204, 206 may prohibit access to the lists or recordingschedules of the user by other users of the network 200.

In each case, the user-specific data may be included in a storage devicein one more of the receivers 204, 206, the server 212, or some othercomponent of the network 200 not explicitly denoted above. Also,multiple copies of each set of user-specific data may be cached withinthe network 200, with one of the components being designated aspossessing a “master” or up-to-date copy from which all other copieswith the network 200 are derived. The same may also be true of the firstbiometric information, against which the second biometric information iscompared.

In the embodiments described above, the comparison between the first andsecond biometric information is performed within the second receiver206, which the user is currently accessing. In other embodiments,another component of the communication network 200 may perform thiscomparison and transmit the results thereof to the second receiver 206.For example, either the first receiver 204 or the service providerserver 212 may perform the comparison. Presuming the server 212 performsthe comparison, the second receiver 206 may transmit the secondbiometric information to the server 212, which then compares the secondbiometric information against the first biometric information alreadystored therein. The server 212 then issues a response to the secondreceiver 206 indicating whether the comparison was successful. Such anembodiment may be advantageous when access to sensitive information,such as information associated with a user account with the serviceprovider, requires a relatively higher level of authentication comparedto favorites lists, recording schedules, and the like.

When the comparison is performed at the server 212, the network 200 maybe able to allow the user to employ user-specific data when accessing areceiver coupled with the server 212 or the network 200 generally. Forexample, presuming the presence of a remote broadcast communicationreceiver in a hotel room in which the user is staying, the remotereceiver may analyze a physical characteristic of the user, generatesecond biometric information based on the analysis, and transmit theinformation to the server 212. Also, the server 212 may have alreadyreceived the first biometric information in conjunction with the useraccessing the first receiver 204 at home, or the server 212 may retrievethe first biometric information in response to receiving the secondbiometric information from the remote receiver. The server 212 may thencompare the first and second biometric information. After confirming amatch, the server 212 may indicate this fact to the remote receiver,which would then allow the user to use the remote receiver under theuser's account as though the user were using his receiver at home. Inaddition, the user may have access to other user-specific information,such as favorites lists, recording schedules, recorded programs, and thelike.

Various embodiments as described above may provide a number of benefits.For example, access to information specific to a user may be quicklyassociated with the user by way of a biometric sensor. The use ofbiometric information may also provide a measure of security bypreventing users from accessing, modifying, or deleting informationassociated with another user. Additionally, when such information may beused on several components, such as set-top boxes communicativelycoupled in a communication network, the use of biometric informationallows the fast retrieval and employment of user-specific information onany of the networked components. Further, coupling the set-top boxestogether may eliminate separate entry into each receiver ofuser-specific data associated with viewing preferences, parentalcontrol, and so forth by allowing a single version of the data to bedisseminated to all set-top boxes of the network.

While several embodiments of the invention have been discussed herein,other embodiments encompassed by the scope of the invention arepossible. For example, while various embodiments have been describedprimarily within the context of satellite television set-top boxes,other broadcast communication devices, including cable and terrestrialtelevision set-top boxes, satellite radio receivers, personal digitalassistants (PDAs), and mobile communication devices, may be utilized inother embodiments. In addition, aspects of one embodiment disclosedherein may be combined with those of alternative embodiments to createfurther implementations of the present invention. Thus, while thepresent invention has been described in the context of specificembodiments, such descriptions are provided for illustration and notlimitation. Accordingly, the proper scope of the present invention isdelimited only by the following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed:
 1. A method comprising: acquiring first biometricinformation that is generated based on analyzing a first set ofbiometric information acquired for authorization of the user to begranted access via a first communication receiver, where the first setof biometric information corresponds to a physical characteristic of auser in association with the access by the user via the firstcommunication receiver; storing data associated with account informationby a service provider system that authorizes the user to receive contentfrom the service provider system, where the data is associated with thefirst biometric information; acquiring second biometric information thatis generated based on analyzing a second set of biometric informationacquired for authorization of the user to be granted access via a secondcommunication receiver, where the second set of biometric informationcorresponds to the physical characteristic of the user in associationwith access of the second communication receiver by the user; based onanalyzing biometric information acquired for authorization of the userto be granted the access via the first communication receiver comparingthe second biometric information to the first biometric information;determining that the second biometric information matches the firstbiometric information based on the comparing; and consequent to thedetermining, authorizing content transmission to the secondcommunication receiver based on the data associated with the accountinformation stored by the service provider system, where at least someof the content from the service provider system is transmitted to thesecond communication receiver consequent to the authorizing.
 2. Themethod as recited in claim 1, where the second biometric information andthe first biometric information are not identical and the determiningthat the second biometric information matches the first biometricinformation is based on the comparison of the second biometricinformation to the first biometric information satisfying a similaritythreshold.
 3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:consequent to the determining, granting a specified level of access tothe second communication device, where the granting the specified levelof access comprises the authorizing the content transmission.
 4. Themethod as recited in claim 3, where the specified level of accessgranted to the second communication device is lower than a higher levelof access granted to the user via the first communication device suchthat the specified level of access prohibits access to one or more offunctions, services, and/or information that is accessible with thehigher level of access.
 5. The method as recited in claim 1, where thephysical characteristic comprises one or more of a fingerprint of theuser, an iris of the user, a retina of the user, a facial feature of theuser, a bodily substance of the user, and/or a voice of the user.
 6. Themethod as recited in claim 1, where the at least some of the contenttransmitted to the second communication receiver corresponds to at leastone of a program, a channel, and/or product information to the userbased upon the data, wherein the data includes information pertaining toone or more selections corresponding to the at least one of the program,the channel, and/or the product information via the first communicationreceiver.
 7. The method as recited in claim 1, where one or both of thefirst communication receiver and the second communication receivercomprises one or more of a mobile communication device, a satellitetelevision communication receiver, a satellite radio communicationreceiver, a cable television communication receiver, and/or aterrestrial television communication receiver.
 8. A system comprising:one or more processing devices; and memory communicatively coupled withand readable by the one or more processing devices and having storedtherein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the oneor more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices toperform operations comprising: acquiring first biometric informationthat is generated based on analyzing a first set of biometricinformation acquired for authorization of the user to be granted accessvia a first communication receiver, where the first set of biometricinformation corresponds to a physical characteristic of a user inassociation with the access by the user via the first communicationreceiver; storing data associated with account information by a serviceprovider system that authorizes the user to receive content from theservice provider system, where the data is associated with the firstbiometric information; acquiring second biometric information that isgenerated based on analyzing a second set of biometric informationacquired for authorization of the user to be granted access via a secondcommunication receiver, where the second set of biometric informationcorresponds to the physical characteristic of the user in associationwith access of the second communication receiver by the user; based onanalyzing biometric information acquired for authorization of the userto be granted the access via the first communication receiver comparingthe second biometric information to the first biometric information;determining that the second biometric information matches the firstbiometric information based on the comparing; and consequent to thedetermining, authorizing content transmission to the secondcommunication receiver based on the data associated with the accountinformation stored by the service provider system, where at least someof the content from the service provider system is transmitted to thesecond communication receiver consequent to the authorizing.
 9. Thesystem as recited in claim 8, where the second biometric information andthe first biometric information are not identical and the determiningthat the second biometric information matches the first biometricinformation is based on the comparison of the second biometricinformation to the first biometric information satisfying a similaritythreshold.
 10. The system as recited in claim 8, the operations furthercomprising: consequent to the determining, granting a specified level ofaccess to the second communication device, where the granting thespecified level of access comprises the authorizing the contenttransmission.
 11. The system as recited in claim 10, where the specifiedlevel of access granted to the second communication device is lower thana higher level of access granted to the user via the first communicationdevice such that the specified level of access prohibits access to oneor more of functions, services, and/or information that is accessiblewith the higher level of access.
 12. The system as recited in claim 8,where the physical characteristic comprises one or more of a fingerprintof the user, an iris of the user, a retina of the user, a facial featureof the user, a bodily substance of the user, and/or a voice of the user.13. The system as recited in claim 8, where the at least some of thecontent transmitted to the second communication receiver corresponds toat least one of a program, a channel, and/or product information to theuser based upon the data, wherein the data includes informationpertaining to one or more selections corresponding to the at least oneof the program, the channel, and/or the product information via thefirst communication receiver.
 14. The system as recited in claim 8,where one or both of the first communication receiver and the secondcommunication receiver comprises one or more of a mobile communicationdevice, a satellite television communication receiver, a satellite radiocommunication receiver, a cable television communication receiver,and/or a terrestrial television communication receiver.
 15. One or morenon-transitory, machine-readable media having machine-readableinstructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processingdevices, cause the one or more processing devices to perform: acquiringfirst biometric information that is generated based on analyzing a firstset of biometric information acquired for authorization of the user tobe granted access via a first communication receiver, where the firstset of biometric information corresponds to a physical characteristic ofa user in association with the access by the user via the firstcommunication receiver; storing data associated with account informationby a service provider system that authorizes the user to receive contentfrom the service provider system, where the data is associated with thefirst biometric information; acquiring second biometric information thatis generated based on analyzing a second set of biometric informationacquired for authorization of the user to be granted access via a secondcommunication receiver, where the second set of biometric informationcorresponds to the physical characteristic of the user in associationwith access of the second communication receiver by the user; based onanalyzing biometric information acquired for authorization of the userto be granted the access via the first communication receiver comparingthe second biometric information to the first biometric information;determining that the second biometric information matches the firstbiometric information based on the comparing; and consequent to thedetermining, authorizing content transmission to the secondcommunication receiver based on the data associated with the accountinformation stored by the service provider system, where at least someof the content from the service provider system is transmitted to thesecond communication receiver consequent to the authorizing.
 16. The oneor more non-transitory, machine-readable media as recited in claim 15,where the second biometric information and the first biometricinformation are not identical and the determining that the secondbiometric information matches the first biometric information is basedon the comparison of the second biometric information to the firstbiometric information satisfying a similarity threshold.
 17. The one ormore non-transitory, machine-readable media as recited in claim 15, theoperations further comprising: consequent to the determining, granting aspecified level of access to the second communication device, where thegranting the specified level of access comprises the authorizing thecontent transmission.
 18. The one or more non-transitory,machine-readable media as recited in claim 17, where the specified levelof access granted to the second communication device is lower than ahigher level of access granted to the user via the first communicationdevice such that the specified level of access prohibits access to oneor more of functions, services, and/or information that is accessiblewith the higher level of access.
 19. The one or more non-transitory,machine-readable media as recited in claim 15, where the physicalcharacteristic comprises one or more of a fingerprint of the user, aniris of the user, a retina of the user, a facial feature of the user, abodily substance of the user, and/or a voice of the user.
 20. The one ormore non-transitory, machine-readable media as recited in claim 15,where the at least some of the content transmitted to the secondcommunication receiver corresponds to at least one of a program, achannel, and/or product information to the user based upon the data,wherein the data includes information pertaining to one or moreselections corresponding to the at least one of the program, thechannel, and/or the product information via the first communicationreceiver.